


You're the Perfect Target for the Double Cross

by iwasnthere622



Series: Wolves vs Berserkers [19]
Category: Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Gangsters, Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Blood, Death, Double-cross, F/M, Fights, Gangs, Gun battle, Guns, Post-Apocalypse, Solider - Freeform, Spying, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-27
Updated: 2017-05-27
Packaged: 2018-11-05 17:38:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11018292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iwasnthere622/pseuds/iwasnthere622
Summary: "But you two need to go. To cover each other," Reno said, glancing at Rude and Larxene.Rude sighed softly. "You're the boss.""Don't forget it, yeah?" Reno said, winking. "Back in one piece," he ordered.





	You're the Perfect Target for the Double Cross

Rude frowned, not liking this plan. "One of us should stay," he insisted, shifting so Xigbar could move past carrying a box of what looked a lot like car parts, which was odd considering their garage had blown up...

Xigbar winked at Rude's frown at his inventory. Thank Gaia he'd kept the chop shop parts in a hole in the ground in the wastelands, huh?

Reno shook his head, smacking Hayner's ass as he tried to slip by, grinning at his pet's blush and stumble. "No, we need information."

"I thought that's why Squall left?" Rude asked, eyebrow raised.

Reno just shook his head. "Immediate information," he amended. "How many of them, what artillery, how many bodies? Meeting places, weak links."

"Reno..." Rude sighed.

"Rude," Reno grinned.

"I'm not a spy," Rude felt obligated to point out, having to shift his weight again to allow Ven to move past him. These tunnels were not meant for large gatherings, even with Yuffie's redecoration work. They were in one of the intersections talking since the larger meeting room was currently being stocked and converted to a war room, and everyone kept trying to get past them to do their work.

Larxene seemed to be having no trouble shifting and moving with the passing flow of people and supplies, but Rude was feeling just big enough to be awkward.

It didn't help that Reno had that look in his eyes, the one that said he was _enjoying_ this, the crazy fucker. Last time he got that look, he was convincing Rude they should recruit a few people and take over this city he'd heard about, overthrow the local gang-runner who was cheating and raping the civilians, c'mon, it'll be easy, I even got Sqaull to agree to aid the coop...

"Yeah, I got that," Reno grinned, leaning against the wall, willing to admit to himself that oh, yeah, he was loving this. The thrill, the adrenaline pumping in his veins, the absolute certainty that they would win, that they would be the legends now.

"So, shouldn't Namine--" Rude started, stopping when Reno cut him off.

"Namine," Reno said with Rude, shaking his head, "won't leave Sora's side until he can walk normal again, which'll be weeks according to Vexen. Riku's still recovering, too, having taken more hits than Sora trying to protect him. Ven and Marluxia are busy with the hack of the network; Yuffie, Aqua, and Pet are setting up here."

"Xigbar--"

"is the mechanic," Reno finished wryly, smirking.

"With a knife collection!" Larxene added helpfully.

Rude gestured at her, exasperated with Reno.

"No," Reno said, amusement coloring his tone. "We need working cars, or have you forgotten that ours exploded?"

Rude pinched the bridge of his nose, breathing slowly and reminding himself it was bad manners to punch your boss.

"Then Larx should stay," Rude said at last. "One person is faster than two, and less likely to be seen, and less liability if caught. And this way, you'll have _some_ defense."

"Don't be rude, Rude," Yuffie huffed on her way past him, stomping his foot for good measure.

"What are we, chopped liver?" Aqua muttered on her heels, jabbing her shoulder into his chest and smirking satisfactorily at his wheeze.

"I promise to stay here," Reno grinned.

Rude jabbed a finger at him. "You have never done the common sense thing, ever, and I've known you since you were 6," he informed him sternly.

"I promise!" Reno laughed. "They're right, it's not like I'll be alone, anyway."

"No, but you'll have sent all your fighters away!" Rude protested.

"Actually, I'll still have--"

"Riku does not count until he can stand for more than one minute without collapsing," Rude said deadpan.

"They're all fighters!" Reno laughed, still arguing if only because it was raising moral in their little gang. It couldn't be too bad if Mum and Dad were fighting like always, right?

Rude raised his hands into the air and turned away or he really would punch Reno in the face for being purposefully dense.

"Reno, don't tease him. He's worried for you," Larx admonished with a grin, winking at her favorite redhead.

"They aren't trained," Rude said quietly, turning back to Reno, tone heavy. "And these people that we're facing -- they _are_. This is... even without the rumors, the organization and skill level to just ride into the open and take everything in _hours_..."

Reno sobered, "I'll stay here," he repeated, because yes, this threat was incredible, talented, and they'd need to be underhanded to win. Their pick-em-off strategy from taking care of Seifer's gang might not work here, not once that strategy was caught onto, and he had a feeling they'd be found out quicker than was advantageous this time around.

"But you two need to go. To cover each other," Reno said, glancing at them both. So you see, that's why I can't send them, because you're right Rude -- they aren't trained. Not for this.

Rude sighed softly, hearing the unspoken message just as loudly as the words that Reno spoke aloud, nodding and giving in. All right. I don't like it, but all right. "You're the boss."

"Don't forget it, yeah?" Reno said, winking. "Back in one piece," he ordered.

Rude just nodded, sharing one glance more with him before turning to leave. Larx fake saluted Reno and fell into step behind Rude, the pair navigating the maze of tunnels in silence until they came to the hatch that would put them at the edge of town, in an area that was hopefully unguarded.

Rude eased the peephole open and looked around, not seeing anyone. Cautiously, he opened the hatch and gestured to Larx to wait a minute, stepping out himself and taking a look around.

"All clear," he murmured, back at the hatch and helping Larx out, the pair covering the entrance once more.

Larxene nodded at him, together the pair making their way into the town. It was eeriliy quiet -- usually you could hear kids running around, cars driving past, people talking. Life. But everything was still and quiet, and there were no signs of anyone anywhere.

The further in they got, the more disturbing it became. Yeah, most people avoided the outskirts -- living towards the center gave you the protection of others, the herd mentality of protection -- but still, to have nothing, just an oppressive silence, after one day... It was chilling. What the hell were these people, that could cause such devestation in such little time?

Rude glanced to the right down an alley a few minutes later, having sworn he'd seen something, pausing in his steps.

"Something?" Larxene questioned, eyes scanning.

"Maybe," Rude said slowly, looking around but there was nothing there. They waited another few minutes before moving on, but Rude couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.

They made it further in and onto the main roads, both trying to ignore the blood stains on the pavement, which became harder as they grew larger.

"No bodies," Larxene murmured. Quick, clean, and efficient... This was not good.

Rude grunted in acknowledgement, maybe just now truly realizing how fucked they were here -- their little group was efficient, sure, but this type of precision was military-like.

A man turned the corner ahead of them, smoking a cigarette. He caught sight of them and smirked, moving towards them, stopping a few feet away and flicking his cigarette to the ground, stepping on it to grind it out.

"Out for a lover's stroll?" he asked with a smirk.

"Just passing through... something happen here?" Larxene asked, body shifted to Rude's, ready for an attack.

"Mm, you could say that," the man chuckled. "There was a regime change here."

"Oh?" Larx said, faking ignorance.

"Mm, yeah, we had to crack a few eggs but the others have mostly fell into line, now. Just have some rats to exterminate, and then it'll be all sunshine," the man grinned.

He took a step closer to them. "You see," he continued, "I'm what they call an exterminator, so this is actaully a specialty of mine... and I just can't shake the feeling you might be rats sent to spy." He shrugged, grinning.

Rude and Larx stiffened. "Pest control is a dangerous business," Rude commented. "They can be hard to predict."

"I don't mind a dirty job," the man assured.

"Well, like I said. We're just passing through," Larx said firmly.

The man smirked. "Ah, of course, of course," he nodded. "Shall I give you a tour of our little capital before you go, then? I insist." He shook out his arm, gun falling neatly into his palm.

"Playing with the rats?" another voice asked from behind them, Larx and Rude both turning sideways to not present their backs to the guy in front of them or this newcomer. "Lex..."

"What, can't I have a bit of fun, Xaldin?" Lexaeus asked with a grin and a shrug.

"Well, it was nice to meet you, but maybe we'll take a rain check on that tour..." Larxene tried, tensing when both men closed in on them.

"You haven't gotten our welcome wagon yet!" Lex protested with a grin, waving his gun around, Xaldin calmly drawing his own weapon.

"Information?" Xaldin asked.

"Spies," Lex replied.

"We're not---"

"Berserkers, judging from the direction they came into town from. Must be hiding in the shell of their headquarters," Lex continued, smirking.

Larx snapped her jaw shut, eyes narrowing, nodding slightly at Rude and then they both darted in opposite directions, weapons firing.

Larx dove sideways and landed in a crouch, firing at the man who'd snuck up on them -- Xaldin -- forcing him to take cover. She dove for her own cover while she had the chance, firing around it and focusing on staying alive. Some welcoming party.

Rude ducked down the nearby alley, returning Lex's fire and taking cover, emptying his clip in the other man's direction.

What a mess, that they could be so easily recognized, the intel these people must have, and they obviously had no intention of negoitating at all, or even taking prisoners!

Rude snapped his spare clip into his gun and listened, edging to peer around the rubble he was leaning against. Lex dropped his spent clip onto the ground and loaded a fresh one, stalking down the alley.

"Might as well give up," he said conversationally. "My friend will take care of your friend, and I'll take care of you -- we'll make it quick, promise. Nothing personal, but we're in charge now and the top predator in the food chain doesn't have to suffer the pests."

Rude tensed as he got closer, readying himself, heart skipping a beat when the other gunfire stopped as well.

Lex grinned. "One down," he said cheerfully, gun at the ready, angling to Rude's hiding spot.

Rude growled, hurling himself from his cover and firing. His eyes met Lex's, he watched the other man fire his gun as well, braced for the pain, except... except the gun didn't go off, and his shot connected, hitting Lex's upper chest.

Lex stumbled back a step, squeezing his trigger but nothing was happening, his chest was on fire, why was he on fire? He dropped to his knees, body swaying, fingers fumbling at the gun to rip out the magazine.

He fell onto his side as the clip clacked to the pavement, boots approaching in his fuzzing vision even as all his attention was on the gun magazine, picking it up with cold fingers and blinking at it. Oh. Oh, that bastard...! He chuckled, surprised he was even surprised, wheezing through fire and pain, slumping to the ground, weak fingers releasing the gun and magazine to stronger ones when they tugged.

"Kill... him," he wheezed out, coldness spreading as fast as the red pool beneath him, eyes dimming.

Rude stared at the empty clip in his end and then back down at the body. Why had he fired an empty gun?

"Rude!" Larx said, appearing at the alley's entrnace. "Let's go!" she said, glancing at the body and then at Rude.

"The other one?" Rude asked, pocketing the empty clip.

"Chased him off, come on!" Larx urged.

Rude nodded, hurrying to her. The pair took off down the streets, walking and doubling back several times in case they were being followed, but the sensation of being watched was gone - maybe it had been Xaldin the whole time?

"...nicked his arm and he bailed," Larx finished saying as they approached the tunnels. "Yours?"

"Dead," Rude answered shortly, the empty clip heavy in his pocket. He needed to talk to Reno.

They slipped into a different entrance than the one they'd left from, making their way through the winding passages, eventually following the voices to the meeting room, which was looking much more like a prepped war room than when they'd left.

"Reno?" Rude demanded, not seeing the redhead.

"Interrogation 2," Xigbar answered. "With Squall."

Rude nodded, brushing a hand down Larx's arm. "I'll report in, you fill in the rest."

Larxene nodded, moving to one of the chairs they'd brought in to let everyone know that these guys were not fucking around here.

Rude manuvered back into the halls, heading for the interrogation pits Yuffie had designed. He went with his gut at the next intersection, rewarded at the hushed sounds of two people talking quietly, scuffing his feet to make sure they heard him coming.

"Rude," Squall greeted, leaning against the wall.

Rude nodded. "Squall."

"Back in one piece, I see," Reno teased, turning to him. "Larx?"

"In the meeting room," Rude answered.

"Excellent! And what have we learend?" Reno asked, rocking back on his heels, hands laced behind his head.

"That we're dead," Rude said bluntly, feeling Squall stiffen behind him and not caring.

"I disagree," Reno shrugged.

"Reno, we need to leave. Now, while we can," Rude said firmly. "These guys, they aren't some random gang, or even the monsters in those myths you love."

"What are they, then?" Reno asked.

"Killers," Rude answered bluntly. "Trained, probably e-military. They aren't here to restock, they aren't playing games. They want the town and they have it. They're going to kill us and the Wolves and there will be no negoitations, no prisoners, just death."

"Well that's a bit pessimistiic, don't you think--"

"They knew Larx and I were Berserkers on sight, Reno!" Rude said, frustrated. "And their leader is fucking _good_. They know our playbooks, who we are, and most importantly, how to keep the town once they've won it."

"What happened?" Squall demanded, wanting to know what Rude was dancing around.

"We were caught pretty much as soon as we entered the town," Rude sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Two of them, Larx wounded hers and he fled."

"And yours?" Reno asked softly.

"Dead," Rude answered. "And I think he was set up to die, so that we would draw first blood, so that their grip on the town would solidify, so that _we_ become the villians. Reno, I -- we -- killed first. They'll come for revenge and they'll be _right_ to do it!"

"What do you mean, he was set up?" Reno asked, ignoring the rest.

Rude pulled the clip from his pocket and handed it over. "We both spent our first clips, and reloaded. Except... he reloaded empty."

Leon cursed colorfully. Saix was right, Sephiroth was cruel and calculating and a fucking military genius...

Reno's eyes narrowed, staring at the empty magazine. "He didn't know?"

Rude shook his head. "I killed him," he said quietly. "He was defenseless, and I killed him."

"Hey, you didn't know, and he was shooting at you," Reno said firmly. "Nothing you could have done differently." Except now, Rude would second guess himself in any future encounter, and the other side got a martyr to rally behind. He shared a look with Leon, because fuck Sephiroth was _good._

"Doesn't make him less dead," Rude sighed.

"You're sure he didn't know?" Reno pressed.

"He collapsed once he saw it was empty. Laughing. Last words were to tell me to 'kill him,'" Rude answered with a snort.

"No love lost in the crew, then," Reno said thoughtfully, "if he was wishing for his boss's death for the double cross."

"It was a double cross," Rude said wryly. Of course he wanted revenge for it, his boss sent him to die without him even knowing, it was a nasty trick, a sacrifice of a pawn for a bigger picture.

"Did you tell Larx?" Reno asked.

Rude shook his head. "No."

"Good, no one except us three need to know this, understood?" Reno said, looking at them both.

Leon nodded. Rude clenched his jaw, but nodded as well -- he didn't like it, but he knew it'd be easier for them to fight without knowing.

Reno nodded as well. "Good. Well, we'll have to lay low for this week, wait for the rest of the gang to heal. Then we'll make a move."


End file.
